Just as Zhang Xinyue and others had finished tidying their workstations and before they started working, Hao Shaoping strode in from the floor entrance, clapping his hands as he walked:
"Quick, quick, clear the things on your desks. General Manager Tian and Chairman Chen will be here in three minutes."
"Xiao Li, quickly put away that big bag of snacks, or I'll confiscate it."
"And you, aren't there plants inside the company? Why do you bring so many more?"
"..."
Before three minutes were up, Tian Hongrui led the way, followed by Chen Pingjiang, who walked in.
As the sounds of their conversation grew closer, Zhang Xinyue's heart, despite herself, pounded harder and harder.
"This is our External Relations Department, mainly responsible for docking projects with North American game studios, DNF, and LOL,"
Tian Hongrui introduced with a smile, while Chen Pingjiang nodded continuously.
At Huijin Building, departments were squeezed together, making inspections very inconvenient.
Some departments were even far away from Huijin Building.
Chen Pingjiang also came to see the employees' thoughts on the new headquarters building at Tian Hongrui's suggestion.
"How is it? Is there anything you're not used to since moving here to work?"
Chen Pingjiang happened to ask Fang Yuting.
Fang Yuting instantly turned into a fan-girl, staring blankly at Chen Pingjiang, making Chen Pingjiang awkwardly rub his nose.
Finally, Tian Hongrui coughed, and Fang Yuting came back to her senses:
"Oh, oh. It's very good. If I had to say anything I'm not used to, it's that it's far to come here."
Chen Pingjiang smiled:
"Didn't we give each of you a thousand-yuan housing subsidy? If you rent a house nearby, the rent here will also be cheaper."
After scanning around, Chen Pingjiang was surprised to find a familiar back, and even more familiar was the bun on top of that head.
Chen Pingjiang quietly walked around to the front and met Zhang Xinyue's gaze.
Their eyes met, and Zhang Xinyue's expression was quite complex.
Chen Pingjiang was also stunned; he hadn't expected to see Zhang Xinyue here.
Seeing this, Hao Shaoping stepped forward and introduced:
"Chairman Chen, this is Zhang Xinyue, an intern in our department. She just joined recently."
Chen Pingjiang, having recovered, nodded and was guided by Tian Hongrui to another area.
After Chen Pingjiang and the others left, Fang Yuting giggled and leaned towards Zhang Xinyue.
"Hehe, the big BOSS looked at you strangely just now. He probably was dumbfounded, thinking how there could be such a beautiful woman."
Zhang Xinyue's heart was filled with complex emotions, and it pounded even more:
"Don't talk nonsense. If Manager Hao hears it, he'll arrange work for you again."
"So what if he hears? I don't know if it's because he used to be a student union president, but the one surnamed Hao is full of bureaucratic airs."
Quan Kaiming, also from the External Relations Department, came over, carrying two bags of potato chips, which he tossed onto the workstation:
"Try these. I bought them specifically when I got in the car."
Fang Yuting's eyes darted around.
She looked at Quan Kaiming, then at Zhang Xinyue.
Smiling, she said:
"You're too petty. When chasing a girl, you should get something better. You think one bag of potato chips can win over our Xinyue? Even if Xinyue agrees, I won't."
Quan Kaiming scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Xinyue waved her hand:
"I'm on a diet recently, so I can't eat these. Yuting, you eat them."
Quan Kaiming graduated from a prestigious university, was very capable at work, wore glasses, and had a refined demeanor.
But Zhang Xinyue had no interest in him; her heart had long been set on Chen Pingjiang.
Having seen tall mountains, it's hard to be impressed by small hills; having seen the ocean, a small stream loses its charm.
First meeting at Fengling Ferry, one sight of Yang Guo ruins a lifetime.
You must not meet someone too stunning when you are too young.
Otherwise, it's hard to let go, and even harder to forget.
No matter how good the subsequent people you meet are, in comparison, they will seem insignificant compared to your beloved.
Some people, once they enter your eyes and heart, you can no longer see anyone else.
It's not that you shouldn't meet someone too stunning in your youth, but that the stunning person you meet cannot be yours.
He is the white moonlight, the cinnabar mark, what you cannot have, and what you cannot let go of.
You yearn for him, but you can never find another like him.
For Zhang Xinyue, Chen Pingjiang was the strongest wine of that year; she had been truly drunk, and afterwards, could not let go.
Especially living on the Cai Da campus, she would always inadvertently be surrounded by all sorts of news about Chen Pingjiang, making it impossible for her to escape.
It was precisely because of this that she, as if by some strange impulse, started an internship at Renren.com.
The QQ avatar on her office computer flashed, and Zhang Xinyue recognized it as Chen Pingjiang's QQ at a glance.
She secretly opened the chat box, which contained only one words:
"Rooftop."
After closing the chat box, Zhang Xinyue told Fang Yuting:
"I'm going to the restroom."
"I'll go too."
Zhang Xinyue was helpless:
"Didn't you just go? Just work diligently; you're always thinking about slacking off."
With a nervous heart, Zhang Xinyue took the elevator to the 26th floor, then used the fire escape to reach the rooftop.
Chen Pingjiang had been waiting for a long time.
Upon seeing Zhang Xinyue, he smiled:
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to work at Renren.com?"
Zhang Xinyue put her hands behind her back:
"It's not a big deal. Why should I tell you?"
"Your tone carries anger."
Chen Pingjiang raised an eyebrow:
"Who talks to their boss like that?"
Zhang Xinyue was indeed a little angry that Chen Pingjiang always intentionally or unintentionally forgot about her, and also angry that he had found another girlfriend.
But when Chen Pingjiang pointed it out, and she thought of their current relationship, she couldn't help but smile.
"Why did you ask me to come?"
Zhang Xinyue pouted her lips.
"Nothing much. I was just curious why you came to work at Renren."
"High salary!"
"That's it?"
Chen Pingjiang didn't believe her.
"That's it!"
"It's not because of me, is it?"
"Pah, you're so narcissistic."
Chen Pingjiang shrugged:
"I have a basis for saying that. It'd be a good thing if your proud spirit wasn't hiding from me, so how could you possibly approach me?"
Zhang Xinyue choked, immediately unable to refute Chen Ping.
After a while, she said:
"Then just assume I'm here for revenge!"
"Revenge for what!?"
"Why revenge, you ask? At the class reunion the year before last, you kissed me in the car, and you had a girlfriend back then."
"Uh..."
Chen Pingjiang was stunned, thinking, can that work too?
"Oh, you're just saying one thing and meaning another, aren't you? Don't I know what kind of person you are?"
Chen Pingjiang snorted:
"Let's have dinner another day. I have something else to do."
Back in the office, Chen Pingjiang had an idea and called Hao Shaoping to his office.
Strictly speaking, it was Hao Shaoping's first time stepping into Chen Pingjiang's office since he started working there.
Their hierarchical difference was quite significant, so usually, it wouldn't be Hao Shaoping's turn to report work, as that would be overstepping.
"Chairman Chen, you called for me?"
Hao Shaoping said with a smile as he entered Chen Pingjiang's office.
Chen Pingjiang gestured with his lips and nodded, pointing to a chair:
"Sit!"
"What's the situation with Zhang Xinyue in your department?"
"Uh, Chairman Chen, what aspect are you referring to?"
Chen Pingjiang smiled helplessly, shook his head, and patted the table:
"Take good care of her in the future. You can go now."
Hao Shaoping, after walking out of the office, was still a bit bewildered.
He had seen Chen Pingjiang for perhaps less than three minutes, said only two sentences, and then came out.
However, Chen Pingjiang's instruction further solidified Hao Shaoping's opinion.
The two must know each other, and their relationship might be unusual.
But he wouldn't dare to spread such a thing, even if it killed him.
Chen Pingjiang had called Hao Shaoping over to ask about Zhang Xinyue's situation, but when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he suddenly felt that asking was meaningless.
Given Zhang Xinyue's proud personality, the fact that she was willing to work at Renren.com already said it all.
Even the proud white swan eventually lowered her arrogant head.
Tsundere characters need to be teased; that statement is absolutely correct.
...
In the afternoon, Chen Pingjiang went to Shuangzixing Tower B for a look around.
Shuangzixing Tower A is currently used by Renren.com.
Shuangzixing Tower B is the office headquarters for Renrengou, Zhizhen Catering, and the mobile phone department.
This involved issues of ownership and usage rights.
Chen Pingjiang had built Shuangzixing Tower with money raised through Renren.com's financing.
Shuangzixing Tower was also a fixed asset of Renren.com.
However, Renrengou, Zhizhen Catering, and the mobile phone company were all enterprises under Chen Pingjiang's name.
Strictly speaking, they had no relation to Renren.com.
Therefore, Renren.com leased the space to the other three companies, and the three companies only needed to pay rent to Renren.com.
Nominally, investors couldn't find any fault with this arrangement.
Because Renren.com didn't have that many employees yet, and even if leased out, the monthly income was quite substantial.
When he arrived at Ge Mengshi's office, Ge Mengshi was tidying up some professional books she had just brought.
Seeing Chen Pingjiang, she was a bit surprised:
"Why do you have time to drop by?"
"On-site inspection, to understand your user experience, and see if there are any areas where the headquarters can improve in the future,"
Chen Pingjiang said with a smile.
Ge Mengshi gave Chen Pingjiang a charming eye-roll, and the curve of her back as she bent over tidying books made Chen Pingjiang involuntarily swallow.
Previously, when Yan Yan was interning on the 16th floor, Ge Mengshi felt uneasy, partly due to a guilty conscience and partly afraid of being exposed.
Coupled with the increasing number of Renren.com employees and the gradually insufficient space, she simply moved out with Zhizhen Catering.
The two hadn't seen each other for two months this time.
Just as Ge Mengshi stood up, she saw a dark figure beside her.
Unbeknownst to her, Chen Pingjiang had quietly approached her, looking at her greedily, the desire in his eyes evident.
This made Ge Mengshi's heart skip a beat, and her longing for Chen Pingjiang flowed out like water.
"This is the company, people are coming and going, don't mess around."
Chen Pingjiang chuckled:
"Everyone's busy moving. Who would come over? The lounge behind your office was carefully arranged by me, and the soundproofing is excellent."
"But..."
Ge Mengshi was still hesitating.
The next moment, Chen Pingjiang grabbed her waist and pulled her sharply towards his chest.
Ge Mengshi lost her balance and fell into Chen Pingjiang's arms.
The scent of Chen Pingjiang reached her nose, instantly making her body go soft.
Seeing the mist in Ge Mengshi's eyes, Chen Pingjiang scooped her up and headed straight for the lounge.
After their intimate moment, Chen Pingjiang leaned against the headboard, smoking.
Ge Mengshi, like a kitten, nestled against Chen Pingjiang's other arm, revealing her snow-white back.
Ge Mengshi's back was very beautiful; it wasn't skinny or bony, nor was it bumpy with small lumps.
Her shoulders were inherently broad, her skin so smooth it felt like it had been coated with lubricant, tapering downwards from her shoulders to form an inverted triangle with her waist.
"Such a beautiful back, it's a pity not to get a cupping massage."
Ge Mengshi, with the afterglow still on her face, rolled her eyes:
"You're too bold. If someone saw us, it would be utterly embarrassing."
Chen Pingjiang exhaled a smoke ring and smiled confidently:
"If no one answers the door, others won't even enter your office. Even if they enter and see you're not there, they'll leave. Outsiders don't know about the lounge, let alone how good the soundproofing is."
"So, you were prepared early on, which is why you had the soundproofing done so well?"
Chen Pingjiang raised an eyebrow:
"Otherwise?"
"By the way, did Uncle Ge not arrange any blind dates for you recently?"
Chen Pingjiang asked.
Ge Mengshi shook her head:
"I rarely go back now. They got tired of talking about it and eventually stopped."
Just like when she resigned, before making a decision, Ge Mengshi would waver.
But once she made a decision, she was the type to see it through to the end.
Although she knew that at her age, there wouldn't be a good outcome with Chen Pingjiang, Ge Mengshi didn't regret taking that step back then.
After thinking for a moment, Ge Mengshi whispered:
"Next time, don't finish outside."
"?"
Chen Pingjiang thought he misheard and turned to look at Ge Mengshi, who was staring intently back at him.
Ge Mengshi continued:
"I heard that after thirty-five, you're considered an older mother, and it's hard to get pregnant."
Chen Pingjiang was at a loss for words for a moment; Ge Mengshi's idea was too sudden.
After a while, he said:
"You need to think it through first: how will you get past your parents, how will others view you, and can you withstand the gossip?"
Ge Mengshi lifted her head and shrugged nonchalantly.
Chen Pingjiang extinguished his cigarette butt, turned and hugged Ge Mengshi, softly saying:
"I'm sorry to you."
"Hehe, don't flatter yourself. What is there to be sorry about? If anything, I'm the one who profited. Anyway, I don't want to get married; I want to be a strong woman. Family can't tie me down. Besides, for an older sister like me, this is like an old ox eating tender grass. Others wouldn't even dare to imagine it."
(End of chapter)